Caroline England Talks 'Truth Games'
7 January 2025
CWA Dagger shortlisted author, Caroline England took some time out to talk to us about her writing and her books, The Stranger Beside Me and Truth Games. Read what she had to say below.
What was your biggest inspiration when writing The Stranger Beside Me?
I love reading stories or watching TV dramas where the final reveal floors you, but when you go back and think about it, all the clues were there as the story unravelled. I hope I have succeeded doing this with The Stranger Beside Me! I was also interested in exploring how someone would feel if their secret - and married - lover suddenly died, how that internalised grief would seep - or veritably gush - out!
Was there a particular character in Truth Games you enjoyed writing most and if so why?
All my novels have dark undercurrents where nothing and no one is quite what they seem, so I enjoyed creating the layers of all the male characters in Truth Games, particularly the charismatic, brooding Sean Walsh. Ellie’s memories of the Sean from university are so different to the man who has now returned to her and Cam’s lives. Can he be trusted or not?
You have written quite a few books now. Which one did you enjoy writing the most and which would you say was the most difficult?
I love to explore all relationships in my books, including between couples, lovers and friends. But family relationships particularly fascinate me - after all, you don’t choose them! So I loved creating the dynamics of the Stephens siblings - Cordelia, Marianne and Edmund - in The Sinner, their closeness, their humour and deep bonds, despite their troubled childhood. I don’t think any of my books have been difficult to write per say, the challenge comes when your editor very nicely suggests there are too many twists and that perhaps one or two should be taken out! This happened in the editorial process of Truth Games. It was my favourite reveal, which was a blow, but fortunately I was able to adapt it.
A lot of your readers feel like they resonate or connect with your character Ellie form Truth Games a lot. Why do you think that is?
I like to keep all my characters as layered and realistic as they can be - given that they appear in one of my books, and I put them through the mill! A lot of reviewers say that my characters could be them, or people they know, and I think this is especially the case with Ellie in Truth Games as she’s a really good mum to her three sons, the middle of whom has learning difficulties. She also struggles with her relationship with her father. She wants to be a loving daughter, but his ‘military precision’ ways drives her nuts, and things aren’t helped when he says she isn’t his child!
The characters in Truth Games each have their own agendas and hidden depths. How did you build these complex personalities and did any character surprise you during the writing process?
My characters always surprise me during the writing process and often go off-piste! I think the more you write, the more you mull about them on a walk or in the bath, the more layers their personalities acquire. I always think it’s a little like Frankenstein creating his monster - you steal body parts and other vital elements from people you know or meet, plus a huge dose of imagination!
Your books often blend psychological suspense with domestic drama. how do you balance the two elements in your storytelling?
‘Domestic Noir’ is a great description of that particular blend of storytelling and an author I really admire kindly dubbed me ‘The Duchess of Dark Domestic Noir’. I personally think it’s the very domesticity and familiarity of the characters combined with the suspense, the putting of ordinary people into extraordinary situations, that makes the stories relatable but thrilling. Eek! These characters could be you and I!
In your novels, the characters are complex and multi-layered. Do you begin with fully-form characters, or do they evolve as you write?
I do mull a lot before I start writing, so I have the outline in my head, but I definitely colour them in as the story progresses (and give them a dark secret or three!)
Where do you draw inspiration for the unique and often dark twists in your stories? Are there any specific real-life events or news stories that have influenced your plots?
They say that truth is stranger than fiction and I think this is very true. Some of my twists come from real life, things I’ve gleaned from the news or newspapers, as well as from my days as a criminal and divorce lawyer. Other twists simply come from the depths of my fervid imagination!
What does a typical writing day look like for you? Do you have any rituals or routines that help you get into the writing mindset?
I’d like to be romantic and say I write in a chalet with a view of the roaring sea, or type accompanied by a regular cappuccino top-up in a cafe, but I just work from home, here in my study with a cat on my knee or blocking my computer screen. I generally write during normal working hours unless something better comes along, and I studiously avoid any housework or ironing!